EDITOR’S NOTE: Updated to correct a detail in Peninsula’s final goal
PORT ANGELES — The start to the game was a little slow, but the finishes, all five of them, were creative for the Peninsula College women’s soccer team in a 5-0 victory against North Idaho.
Sophomore Lexi Krieger notched her first collegiate hat trick Saturday at Wally Sigmar Field, scoring goals in the 14th and 16th minutes to give the Pirates (4-0) an early cushion.
“The goals were high-quality goals, not just mistakes defensively, but goals we earned,” Peninsula coach Kanyon Anderson said of the team’s scoring.
“A little style to them, a little flair.
“And I liked our commitment to being tougher as the game wore on. We got better as we went along, and that made me happy.”
Freshman midfielder Myu Ban had a hand in two goals for Peninsula.
On the team’s first score, she stole the ball inside the North Idaho goal box and sent a deftly placed pass back to Krieger, who fired her strike to the upper-right corner of the goal.
“I thought Myu was exceptional today,” Anderson said.
“Lexi was great . . . she can hit the ball, for sure.”
Krieger added her second goal when she gathered a pass by Brenda Torres-Hernandez, turned to her right toward the goal and sent home another high-speed shot.
In the 53rd minute, Ban raced down the left endline untouched and appeared to have her own shot at a score before passing the ball to Torres-Hernandez for a score from close range.
“She is amazing,” Krieger said of Ban.
“She is one of the most, if not the most, creative player I’ve ever played with.
“She brings the talent level up so much. In practices, you see other players try all sorts of different styles. She really pushes everybody to be the best they can.”
Krieger came close to her third goal numerous times, including a shot that rattled the top of the post in the 50th minute, before finally triumphing with another score in the 61st minute.
Peninsula even added another style point, a set-piece goal, when Michelle Whan sent a direck free kick into the goal box that Kennady Whitehead headed in for the final score in the 75th minute.
The Pirates weren’t challenged much defensively. North Idaho only created one real scoring chance — a free kick saved by a ranging Manaia Siania-Unutoa in goal.
“I was really pleased with the organization between Manaia, Karen [Corral] and Tori [Hagan] defensively,” Anderson said.
Peninsula has now scored 21 goals and allowed zero in its first four games.
Anderson also liked what he saw in midfield from Bianca Andrade-Torres and Kai Mahuka.
“Bianca played with a great deal of determination, and Kai had a beautiful first touch on Lexi’s last goal,” Anderson said.
It’s early in the season, but Krieger said this year’s team is building towards something big.
“We’re going to do something special this season,” Krieger said.
“We’re very deep offensively this year. We have so much talent, every practice . . . we’ve had practices that are tougher than this game was today.”
Peninsula hosts Bellevue (2-0-1) on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
